Rand Paul lets the mask slip
The son of the horrific Ron Paul, the wolf in the flock on the conservative side, has told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that the US should cut foreign aid, including to Israel. He's already been panned by the RJC:
I think some of the people who supported Rand Paul in his campaign may owe an apology now. He certainly does.
“We share Senator Paul's commitment to restraining the growth of federal spending, but we reject his misguided proposal to end US assistance to our ally, Israel,” said RJC Executive Director Matthew Brooks. "We are heartened to know that, with very few exceptions, congressional Republicans understand and appreciate the importance of this alliance to America's national security. And we are confident that few - if any - of Senator Paul's Republican colleagues will cosponsor a plan that reneges on an agreement with a critical ally."Hot Air's got a video available. If my calculations are correct, he may be blurring the differences here between Israel and its enemies in the Islamic world. It's so morally equative, and similarly so blatant, I'm devastated that anyone would associate themselves with this man who, like his own father, gives "libertarianism" a bad name.
Brooks also raised questions about Paul’s “grasp of the fundamentals of our alliance with Israel” based on his comments to Blitzer. “Any concern that US assistance might undermine Israel's security is groundless.”
When Blitzer asked about continuing aid to Israel, Paul replied, “When you send foreign aid, you actually [send] quite a bit to Israel's enemies, Islamic nations around Israel get quite a bit of foreign aid, too.”
He was apparently referring to aid to countries such as Egypt, which receives money as part of the peace treaty it signed with Israel.
“I don't think funding both sides of the arm race, particularly when we have to borrow the money from China to send it to someone else, we just can't do it anymore,” he said.
I think some of the people who supported Rand Paul in his campaign may owe an apology now. He certainly does.
Labels: Egypt, islam, Israel, United States, US Congress
I don't care much for Rand Paul but the sooner Israel weans itself off American aid, the better off the country will be. With America's Muslim population set to double in generation, it is better if Israel agrees to phase out the aid than be pushed off it.
Now is the time for Israel to achieve true independence and Paul may be doing the Jewish State an unanticipated favor.
Posted by NormanF | 1/29/2011 05:50:00 PM
I am a strong supporter of Israel, and believe they are our best ally, but by what logic does that mean we have to send Israel money? Especially when we are borrowing the money to send in the first place. There is nothing wrong with saying we should cut off foreign aid, I don't understand why you are so angry...
Posted by Mark | 1/30/2011 09:03:00 AM
I'll try to explain why: when it comes to defense steps, if anything, whether or not Israel needs it, I don't think it's right to say we shouldn't contribute aid in defense of innocents. Is that fair enough an explanation?
Posted by Avi Green | 1/30/2011 12:18:00 PM